The district administration has chalked out a comprehensive plan to double the green cover in the district in the next three years.

The district administration has chalked out a comprehensive plan to double the green cover in the district in the next three years.

To achieve this goal, VK Meena, divisional commissioner, Ferozepur and Faridkot divisions, presided over a meeting of heads of all government departments, representatives of various non-government organisations (NGOs) besides those of educational institutions and discussed strategies to increase the green cover in the district.

Meena asked all heads of departments and others present in the meeting to submit their demand of the required saplings by next Wednesday to the district forest officer (DFO). A team of the DFO will check the viability of sustaining the plants at the proposed site by the respective organisation, said Meena.

"In the next two months, we will not only develop greenery along the main but landscaping of major spots would also be done to further beautify the entry points of the district," said Meena.

"Every frontal stretch on the Grand Truck (GT) Road, outside the campus of any organisation, be it government or private, will be adopted by the respective organisation while the DFO would facilitate free saplings to them and the respective organisation would take care and maintain the saplings in future. The vacant land, belonging to various government departments, including the Railways, Defence, BSF and the Punjab government would be covered," said Meena.

"The Border Security Force (BSF) will plant as many as 65,000 saplings of fruit, shady and flowery trees at their headquarters, border out post and other lands on August 2," revealed RK Thapa, DIG, BSF, Ferozepur sector.

"We will engage 'green warriors' with the help of the NGOs to take care of saplings to be planted on various stretches of inner roads and in public parks," said the state BJP chief Kamal Sharma, who along with local SAD member of Parliament Sher Singh Ghubaya, too, attended the meeting.

"It's high time that we start giving top priority to save and enhance green cover in the region as it will not only benefit the present generation, but of future too," said Ghubaya.

"We will ensure that there should not be paucity of funds for the green drive in the area," claimed Ghubaya.

Ferozepur deputy commissioner Ravinder Singh assured Meena that all departments would work in letter and spirit to enhance green cover in Ferozepur to 9% from the existing 4.5% within the next three years.

M Saudhagar, DFO, Ferozepur, said that at present they have got 1.25 lakh saplings ready to be planted in the coming monsoon season and, if required, more of the same would be facilitated as per requirements.

The meeting was attended by Amit Kumar, ADC(G), and Neelima, ADC(D), besides Lakhbir Singh SP(H), Ferozepur, along with others.